50 Dark Fics: Jenkato
by Takato Metallium
Summary: Prompts written for 50 darkfics on livejournal for the pairing of Jenrya Lee and Takato Matsuda from Digimon Tamers. Ratings will vary between T and M, content will vary.
1. Prompt 015: Angry

**Title:** Power Born From Anger  
**Author:** Takato Metallium  
**Fandom:** _Digimon Tamers  
_**Characters:** Jenrya Lee and Takato Matsuda, pairing will be/is Jenkato  
**Prompt:** 015: Angry  
**Word Count:** 400 words  
**Rating:** PG-13/T  
**Disclaimer:** I disclaim all rights to Digimon Tamers. It belongs to Akiyoshi Hongo, Toei Animation and other such official people. I only own the AUverse this is set in, the fic and nothing more.  
**Author's Notes:** Set in my _Dark Guardians_ AU, seven years past the _Tamers_ series. Jenrya and Takato are both aged 17 and are agents of the Demon Lord Lilithmon after circumstances forced them to live in the Dejitarusekai/Digital World with their partners Guilmon and Terriermon. Prompts will take place either before or during their time as the Dark Guardians. Will be some spoilers for the _Tamers_ series leading up to episode 35.

* * *

Jenrya has never seen Takato so angry, so full of utter rage. It's scary and his arms tighten around Shuichon as she clings to his shirt, wailing in fear. She shouldn't even be here in the first place, but his undivided attention is on his friend. Somewhere in the background he can hear Juri sobbing over her loss, and he knows that all it's doing is making Takato angrier.

Takato's normally kind, gentle cherry eyes are narrowed dangerously, to the point where the expression on his face almost makes him unrecognizable. His teeth grind together, fists clenching into fists at his side. He can barely breath, the anger he's feeling makes it hard to do so. He can feel his nails biting the palm of his hand, his rage pinpointed on one thing and one thing only.

Beelzebumon's pointing those guns of his at Kyuubimon, laughing at her feeble attempts to make him see sense. When he raises one of them to Jen, Takato snaps, all but snarling like a wild animal as he calls his partner's name. "_GUILMON_!"

Guilmon roars, the sound defening in Jen's ears as Guilmon's form shifts without warning to Growmon, and then again to MegaloGrowmon. The Cyborg dinosaur's tail is swishing behind him, creating a wind threatening to knock everyone off their feet. Beelzebumon's eyes narrow and he sneers at the challenge, kicking Kyuubimon away from where she lay at the toes of his boots, the fox Digimon worn and beaten and barely breathing, and he turns to face MegaloGrowmon.

Takato's eyes are feral like his partner's, his irises slits of pure black darkness. He can taste blood, and somewhere in the far back of his mind he muses that he must have bit his lip, but it doesn't matter. He watches MegaloGrowmon attack Beelzebumon, but it's not enough. MegaloGrowmon needs to be stronger, more powerful.

"EVOLVE!"

Jenrya feels a shiver roll up his spine and his blood runs cold, watching a red glow envelope MegaloGrowmon. His arms tighten further around Shuichon as the construct of Takato's rage and hate is revealed. Megidramon snarls, saliva dripping from rows of sharp teeth, tail lashing about. He buries his face in Shuichon's hair, unable to watch.

He's not scared for himself or his little sister, though.

No. He's scared for Takato, fearing his kind-hearted, joyful friend might never make it back from the brink of his anger.


	2. Prompt 034: Broken

**Title:** I Want to Hold You High and Take Your Pain Away  
**Author:** Takato Metallium  
**Fandom:** _Digimon Tamers  
_**Characters:** Jenrya Lee and Takato Matsuda, pairing will be/is Jenkato  
**Prompt:** 034: Broken  
**Word Count:** 537  
**Rating:** PG-13/T

* * *

Jenrya moves his fingers through Takato's hair, smoothing back the messy chestnut locks away from his face. The other boy is asleep in his lap, emotionally drained and exhausted. Guilmon and Terriermon are asleep elsewhere in the cave they're currently occupying; he can hear the dinosaurian's loud snores and his own partner's mumbling.

Takato's hand clenches at his pant leg, a small whimper escaping his mouth as his body shudders. Jen can probably guess what he was dreaming about, and his face deepens into a frown, his hand stopping its motions and laying rested on Takato's head. Guilmon's evolution into Megidramon had left him broken and scarred, wracked with guilt. Their parting with the other Tamers hadn't helped matters.

Jen pursed his lips together as another cry left Takato's throat, feeling something wet soak his pants. Tears. He contemplated waking his companion. Another night of fitful sleep wouldn't do Takato any good. He let out a small sigh, looking out the cavern entrance just beyond where he sat, lost in thought. There wasn't anything he could do but offer his support and be there for his friend. He wanted to do more, so much more, but he wasn't able to. Takato had to work through this on his own.

Takato's eyes flew open, cheeks streaked with tears and a breathy gasp falling from his lips. Jenrya removed his hand, watching the other boy sit up, breathing harshly. "Takato-kun?" Takato's eyes are wild and Jenrya fears that his friend is going to go feral again before Takato's expression softens, gaze returning to normal. He places his hand on the other Tamer's shoulder, letting him know that he's there, that he's not alone.

"Another nightmare?" he asks, his voice a soft whisper as he feels Takato begin to tremble under his touch. Takato nods, sniffling. The noise has woken Guilmon and Terriermon - Jen can feel their curious gazes on their Tamers. He wraps his arms around Takato's shoulders and pulls the slightly younger boy to his chest, practically pulling him into his lap. Takato clings to him, burying his face in Jen's shoulder as the tears start. The half-Chinese Tamer is patient, rubbing circles around Takato's back soothingly, murmuring kind words into his ear. After a while, Takato's sobs lessen and his hands unclench from Jenrya's shirt.

"'m sorry," he whispers, reaching up to dry his eyes with the back of his hand. "You're stuck here because of me."

"I wouldn't want it any other way," Jenrya murmurs, pressing his forehead to Takato's gently, smoothing away sweaty, damp hair from his friend's face. He tilted his head up, brushing his lips against Takato's temple.

"But what if I loose control again?" Takato asks, closing his eyes. His body begins shaking once more at the thought and his breath hitches. "I...I don't want to hurt you accidentally. I don't want to cause Guilmon any more pain."

"I'll stop you," he says, fingers running down along Takato's jaw to his chin in a soft caress. "Terriermon and I will stop you. I promise."

With that promise, he feels as though he's put a small piece of Takato's broken soul back together, because the smile he receives in return is breathtaking.


	3. Prompt 044: Hunger

**Title:** Fruit  
**Author:** Takato Metallium  
**Fandom:** _Digimon Tamers  
_**Characters:** Jenrya Lee and Takato Matsuda, pairing will be/is Jenkato  
**Prompt:** 044: Hunger  
**Word Count:** 426  
**Rating:** PG-13/T

* * *

Jenrya opens his eyes blearily, blinking back sleep. His stomach growls loudly but he ignores it. It's been days since they last ate, their rations depleted and unable to find a Digimon village where they can stock up. He rolls over, intending on going back to sleep because while he sleeps he doesn't have to worry about Takato and Guilmon and Terriermon and keeping the four of them together and happy. He doesn't have to worry about traveling or their next meal or getting back to the Real World.

For a moment, Jen thinks he's dreaming again. The ground underneath him feels soft, like clouds, like a mattress, and a small smile crosses his face at the thought. '_Great, Jenrya. You're going mad with hunger,_' he thinks to himself, and just as he's about to drift off, a pair of hands slip under his head and props him up. Soft fingers brush against his face, and he can feel something press to his lips. It's wet and without thinking Jen opens his mouth. It tastes sweet, like a strawberry and his stomach groans as a small moan leaves his throat.

The hand comes back with something else and without hesitation his mouth opens again. His eyes flutter, still blurry as his tongue tastes watermelon this time, delicious and a warm reminder of summer. It continues on; the hand brings something to his lips and he eats and each bite is sweeter than the last. His stomach is happy, the other hand moving through his hair as he eats. A voice speaks, so soft that the half-Chinese Tamer almost ignores it as another piece of fruit is brought to his mouth.

"...are you feeling better, Jen?"

His eyes open, no longer blurry, and he sees Takato hovering over him, a concerned look on his friend's face. He blinks, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again and Takato is still there. He opens his mouth to speak but his voice is hoarse.

"You collapsed," the other boy explains, and Jenrya realizes his head is pillowed on Takato's lap as he hand-feeds him some more fruit. "I'm so relieved."

"Takato, where...?"

He can't help but notice that the smile on Takato's face isn't like the smiles he's used to seeing. There's something wrong. Jen can tell just from that quirk of the lips. "A Digimon named Lilithmon found us. This...this is her home." After a pause, he can see another piece of fruit in Takato's fingers. "Are you still hungry?"

The moment of bliss is gone.


	4. Prompt 016: Evil

**Title:** Evil Comes in All Forms  
**Author:** Takato Metallium  
**Fandom:** _Digimon Tamers  
_**Characters:** Jenrya Lee and Takato Matsuda, pairing will be/is Jenkato  
**Prompt:** 016: Evil  
**Word Count:** 569  
**Rating:** PG-13/T

* * *

Jenrya has never considered any Digimon to be evil. Just misguided, following their programming. He believes that everyone has good inside of them. However, upon meeting Lilithmon, his opinion changed. She was evil, he could feel it. His spine tingled at the sight of her, watching her coo and draw her long fingers down along Takato's jaw. His chest gave a twinge and it took a moment for him to realize that it was jealousy.

Who he was jealous of, however, was another matter altogether. Was he jealous of the way Takato seemed to melt under Lilithmon's gaze, or was he jealous of Takato for being her center of attention? He pushed the feeling away and concentrated on the matter at hand.

Lilithmon moved away from them, taking her place on a throne cut from a strange, dark crystal-like substance. She studies him curiously before a smile quirks on her painted lips. "So...you are the one my little Takato has been fussing over."

The hairs on the back of his neck raise and his hands clench into fists for a moment. _Her_ little Takato? Again, he pushed it back. "Yes. My name is Lee Jenrya. Thank you for providing us shelter and food." He can't help but wonder...if she did it for her own personal gain. A lot of the Digimon they passed in their travels had no interest in helping them, merely battle. She had to have another agenda. "I'm afraid we need to..."

"Get back home? My dear Takato has told me what you've been doing," she replies, steepling her fingers as she leans back in her throne, legs curled up slightly and dark purple silk robes draping over her knees. "I'm afraid that only the strong are granted passage to the human world."

"That's what we've been hearing," he says, bowing his head and biting his bottom lip. "But we can still try." Jenrya turns to leave before she speaks again.

"I can help you." Bingo. He was right. Jen looks over his right shoulder, Terriermon sitting on his left before he turns to look at her properly. By the frown on his face, she can tell he's skeptical. "I require something in return, however."

"We're not interested." He shakes his head, turning to leave before a hand snags his arm. He glances to his right to see Takato has taken hold of him, and his friend pulls him closer.

"Jen...we've been wandering for a long time," Takato begins, his voice a soft whisper Jenrya is sure that only he and their partners can hear. "You almost _died_ from starvation...I don't want anything like that to happen again. I felt so helpless..." Takato nibbles on his lip as a tear rolls down his cheek, and for a fleeting moment Jenrya thinks the other boy looks cute when he does that. "Let's hear her out, Jen. Let's at least listen to what she has to say."

Jenrya immediately feels bad. He caused Takato to worry, to fret and cry over him. His head drops, thinking things over for a few minutes as he closes his eyes. '_Lilithmon is evil,_' he reminds himself, letting out a sigh as he takes hold of Takato's hand and turns once again to face her. He can see the undisguised glee on her face, the gleam in her eyes, and prays he didn't just make a mistake.

Lilithmon is evil after all.


	5. Prompt 009: Branded

**Title:** Branded by Evil  
**Author:** Takato Metallium  
**Fandom:** _Digimon Tamers  
_**Characters:** Jenrya Lee and Takato Matsuda, pairing will be/is Jenkato  
**Prompt:** 009: Branded  
**Word Count:** 770  
**Rating:** M

* * *

_It will be a short process_, Lilithmon explained to them. _All it requires is for you to be branded with my mark. Then your role as my Dark Guardians will begin_.

Jenrya is beginning to have second thoughts.

The room is cold without his clothes on, and he shivers, feeling goosebumps pop up along his flesh. Somewhere else in the room is Takato, he knows because he can hear the other boy's steady breathing and murmurs he can't make out words from. He doesn't know where Terriermon is - his partner and Guilmon were taken to another room by one of Lilithmon's assistants, out of the way. Jenrya himself is strapped face down to a table by shackles and chains, just enough room left to be able to tilt his head this way and that but not enough to flail about. The edge of the wood is rough and digging into his skin, so he raises his head to give it some relief before it's forced back down.

"Don't move, human," another assistant commands, and Jenrya can't turn his head far enough to see what type of Digimon it is. "Lest you mar Lilithmon's mark with your squirming."

Jenrya pauses for a moment before he obediently stills, looking out the corner of his eye to see where Takato is, but the other Tamer is out of his eyesight.

He hears something break into a sizzling hiss and if he'd been an animal his ears would have pinned back against his head, for he finally realizes what they're going to brand them with. "Takato...!"

His call is too late. Takato's howl of agony rips around the room, burning Jen's ears. He grits his teeth when he hears the other boy's scream become hysterical, closing his eyes tight and fighting against the tears. This was his fault. If he hadn't been weak, hadn't been forcing them to move on from one place to the other. His hands gripped at the chains that bind him to the table, slightly thankful for them for if he had been unbound he might have attacked the Digimon branding his friend.

Takato's screams eventually die down into sobs of relief and for a moment Jen himself is relieved...until he realizes this means it's his turn. His eyes widen, a small whimper escaping from his mouth and the Digimon in the room laugh.

"Look at him. His friend's branding already has him scared," one of them sneers, causing more laughter to erupt.

"S-Shut up!" he snaps, well aware of the tremble in his voice as he does so. Jenrya bows his head, gritting his teeth and wishing there was enough length in the chains to allow him to lash out. "Just...just get it over and done with!"

"Your funeral," a second Digimon sneers, and he can feel something hot near the skin of his shoulder, the one Terriermon usually sits on. Jenrya bites hard down on his lower lip, but that doesn't stop the scream that rips from his throat when the branding iron hits his flesh. His head jerks but one of the Digimon is holding it down, squeezing his eyes shut. It burns like a thousand suns, like nothing Jen has ever experienced before. He can feel the insignia burn into his skin, moving past several layers and searing the flesh around it. He can feel tears rolling down his cheeks, loud sobs leaving his throat before his head is tilted up and he finds himself staring into familiar cherry eyes.

Takato cups his tear-streaked face, his shoulder wrapped with gauze and bandages. There's a surprisingly peaceful look on his face as he tilts his own head forward, brushing his lips along Jen's cheek to whisper in his ear. "Let go," he purrs, fingers moving along the skin of the half-Chinese boy's face and neck in a soft graze.

He does so, and the pain stops. Jenrya's eyes flutter shut, soft breaths coming from his mouth as he barely feels the branding iron being lifted from his shoulder, nor the cooling ointment pressed to his new marking with careful hands, and he definitely doesn't feel anything as his shoulder is wrapped like Takato's.

Takato murmurs soft words to him, cradling his head between his hands as he does so, knelt in front of his friend's table. The shackles are gone and the chains are dropped and Jenrya slowly but surely climbs off the table and all but falls into Takato's waiting arms.

It's only later in the shower when the bandages and gauze are removed by an assistant that he realizes he's been branded by evil.


	6. Prompt 002: Dark Path

**Title:** The Path Less Taken  
**Author:** Takato Metallium  
**Fandom:** _Digimon Tamers  
_**Characters:** Jenrya Lee and Takato Matsuda, pairing will be/is Jenkato  
**Prompt:** 002: Dark Path  
**Word Count:** 473  
**Rating:** PG-13/T

* * *

It's been several months since they've been in Lilithmon's service, and Jenrya feels like each step is leading him down a path of darkness. At first, Lilithmon sent them on simple reconnaisance, just observation, but then she began giving them orders to kill. The orders ranged from what Jen believed to be innocent Digimon to territorial beasts who threatened to take Lilithmon's sanctuary from her.

Jenrya drops to his knees and empties his stomach of the last few days worth of meals. Takato watches him silently, his expression unreadable as he strokes Guilmon's neck, waiting for his partner-in-crime to finish puking his guts. "Are you done, Jen?" he asks, his voice soft as Jenrya heaves once more only for nothing to come up.

"I...I think so." Jenrya pulls a cloth from his jumpsuit's pocket and uses it to wipe his mouth, Terriermon looking at him worriedly from his shoulder. He stands, shakily at first before finding his feet, turning his head to look at his friend.

Of the two of them, it's Takato that's changed the most. Takato relishes in their assignments, taking his time with the Digimon they're targeting. He teases it, letting it think it has a chance to get away or fight back before Guilmon practically devours it. He's been hesitant about sending Terriermon in, but today had been his first kill done in cold blood, simply because Takato stood back and watched.

Even now, he can see a dark look in Takato's cherry-coloured eyes. They're changing, shifting from that light colour to a darker colour more like blood, like crimson. Those crimson eyes are staring at him, the other Tamer with a hand in the pocket of his own jumpsuit. There's silence between them before Takato speaks again, his voice husky and barely above a whisper. "It feels great, doesn't it?" he purrs, stepping closer to Jenrya as his other hand slips from Guilmon's neck. "To watch them squirm and plea before you kill them."

"It doesn't," Jenrya whispers into his handkerchief, feeling like he's about to throw up again at the reminder. "It's horrible."

Out the corner of his eye he can see Takato shake his head. "Jen, you had to learn sometime. That's why I stood back today. We don't have a choice when it comes to orders." A few more steps and Takato's at his side. "This is the world we live in now, Jen."

"I know that!" he snaps before he sighs and shakes his head, running a hand through his hair. "It's...it's going to take me some time to get...used to it." He feels Takato take his hand and gives the other boy a slight smile, giving his hand a squeeze. "We're in this together."

The next time changes Guilmon to BlackGuilmon, and Jenrya is quite sure they're going down the path of darkness.


	7. Prompt 012: Bound

**Title:** Moumentai  
**Author:** Takato Metallium  
**Fandom:** _Digimon Tamers  
_**Characters:** Jenrya Lee and Takato Matsuda, pairing will be/is Jenkato  
**Prompt:** 012: Bound  
**Word Count:** 2,485  
**Rating:** PG-13/T  
**Author's Notes:** Set in an alternate universe where Takato is an agent of Hypnos, and the first Tamer to find himself partnered with a Digimon. Takato and Jenrya are both around 17-18 years of age.

* * *

_'Ka-click_'

The sound of a lighter being flicked open and shut echoed down the hallway in time with the clicking of the heels of his boots, his hands almost casually in the pockets of his pants and his head held high as he walked. His partner was sleeping, so this was a perfect time to check up on the captive.

_'Ka-click_'

Hypnos had files on everyone in Tokyo, and he had read up on Jenrya Lee's profile, knew everything about him from what he did on the weekends to the way he tied his shoelaces. He knew that the teenager in there had an older brother and sister attending university, a younger sister in junior high and lived with his parents.

_'Ka-click_'

"Mitsuo-san," he said, pulling the dark glasses he wore off his face as he regarded his superior with a cold expression. Yamaki stopped clicking his lighter and turned to look at him. He glanced out the corner of his eye at the tinted window looking into the interrogation room. "Has he stirred?"

"Just a few minutes ago," the older man replied, glancing in there as well before turning his attention back to the young agent. He tilted his head, noting the empty space at Takato's side with a curled lip. "Your partner, Matsuda?"

_'Ka-click_'

"Asleep." If he took note of the expression on Yamaki's face, he didn't say anything about it. Mitsuo-san's dislike of Digimon was well known to him. "I took the opportunity to read up on Lee's profile." Takato let his glasses slide into a pocket on his jacket. "If you don't mind my saying so, Mitsuo-san, he could be a good agent for Hypnos, given the right training. His files list him as a genius when it comes to computers and he has thirteen years worth of martial arts training. Not to mention that he now has a partner Digimon."

_'Ka-click_'

"If you think you can handle him, Matsuda." Yamaki looked at the young man over the rim of his dark-tinted glasses, pocketing his lighter. "Then he's all yours. The lab should be done analyzing his partner within the next half hour. Of course, the question is if you'll be able to convince him." Yamaki gave him a smirk as he turned on his heel, heading off in the direction of the laboratory, waving casually over his shoulder. "Good luck with that."

Raising an eyebrow as his superior left, Takato reached for the door leading into the interrogation room, closing it behind him. Lee looked over his shoulder from where he stood by the window on the other side of the room, scowling when he saw who it was. "You..."

"Yes, me." Takato sighed a little as he pulled out a chair, sitting down and lifting his legs up onto the table, crossing them at the ankle. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" he suggested, gesturing for the half-Chinese youth to take the other seat.

"Why am I bound to this room? And where's Terriermon?" he all but snapped, understandably irritated as he pulled away from the window and walked over to the desk, placing his hand on the backing of the other chair.

"Security reasons, and your partner's taking a few tests in our labs. Nothing serious," Takato added when he saw the Lee boy's eyes widen in anger, waving a hand as he leaned his head on his free one. "Guilmon went through the same ones when we arrived here. The tests aren't life-threatening. Once we have vitals on your partner and a profile to match, he'll be free to go."

He scoffed. "I find that hard to believe, coming from the one who was willing to delete Terriermon," Jenrya growled under his breath, but took the seat provided for him anyway. He studied the other boy for a moment, calculating grey eyes looking him over. "What do you want with me?"

"Tell me, Lee Jenrya...what do you think of Digimon?"

He blinked a little at the casual use of his name and at the question itself. "What do I think of them?" Jenrya looked completely put off, glancing to the side before shifting his gaze back to him. "To be honest, up until a few days ago I believed Digimon was only a game. Now all of a sudden they're real..._Terriermon's_ real...I don't believe Digimon should be tools for fighting like they're programmed for. They're...well, Terriermon's my friend. I couldn't stand it if anything was to happen to him."

"I feel the same way about Guilmon," he said, his voice soft as he looked out the tinted window at Shinjuku before he shook his head. "I'll be honest with you, Lee-kun, when I arrived here the first time I was just like you in many ways. Naive, unaware of how the real world works." Out the corner of his eye he saw Jenrya's head snap up, the other about to retaliate before he wisely kept his mouth shut. "But you can't change their programming with a simple stroke of the key, not the with way they're Realized now."

Takato stood from his seat, crossing his arms behind his back and walking over to the window, his back to the other youth. "The thing is, Lee-kun, there has been Digimon coming to our world more often than you know or realize. Lately they have nearly doubled in numbers." He pressed his hand to the glass, over familiar store he could see far off in the distance. "Hypnos is doing all it can but there are two or three or four that slip through our carefully crafted defenses each day. There's only so much Guilmon and I can do by ourselves. I've learned that much."

He turned, looking at the slightly older boy out the corner of his eye. "Now that there's another Digimon with a Tamer, it doesn't have to be that way. I know you don't like the thought of Digimon fighting, Lee-kun, but this is the reality you have to face up. Let Realized Digimon run free and...they could end up killing someone."

Jenrya noticed the way the other boy's eyes darkened at those last few words, pursing his lips together. Something had happened to make him this jaded, this bitter and cold. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine what would happen to him if a Digimon killed Shuichon or any other member of his family.

"You don't have to answer straight away," he said, walking back over to Jenrya. He placed a hand on the back of the dark-haired Tamer's chair, letting his fingers slide across it. "Once our scientists are done running Terriermon's diagnostics, you're free to collect him and leave. But I must insist, Lee-kun, that you heed my warnings." Takato perched himself on the edge of the desk, leaning back on one of his hands and looking at him with a tilt of his head. "You can try and protect them all you want, but in the end all your efforts will be for naught if they are taken from you."

"I'll keep it in mind," Jenrya replied, arching a brow as he stood from his seat, looking at the boy he'd been locked in battle with merely hours ago. "Do I at least get your name?"

"You can have my name _and_ my phone number if you like." Oh God, was that a _joke_? If Mitsuo-san knew he'd never let him live it down. Noticing the flush darken the older boy's cheeks Takato couldn't help but chuckle a little. "The name's Matsuda. Matsuda Takato."

"Matsuda?" Jenrya blinked before his eyes widened as the other Tamer slid from his perch and placed his hands in his pockets, walking towards the door. '_Matsuda as in Matsuda's Bakery_? _No wonder the kid's so bitter_...' He remembered the news broadcast, how the two adult Matsudas had been found murdered and their kid gone. It had been chalked up to a kidnapping gone wrong or something if he remembered correctly.

Noticing Jenrya's expression, Takato sighed as he opened the door, gesturing with his head for him to go through. "Hypnos has ties to the media. Most of the Digimon incidents are covered up or not reported at all," he explained casually, walking out the door. "I'll take you to the labs." Once he glanced over his shoulder to make sure Lee was following him, he continued walking. "My parents were killed in the crossfire between Guilmon and another Digimon. I was nine years old. Mitsuo-san found me when Hypnos came to pick up the pieces. I've been working here ever since."

"So that's why you feel bound to this place," Jenrya summed up as he caught up to Takato easily with his long strides.

"Mmm-hmm. The workers here became my family. I live with one of the computer officers, Megumi Onodera. Even if I have a full-grown dinosaur for a partner, Mitsuo-san won't let me have my own apartment," he replied with an exasperated sigh and a roll of his eyes.

He chuckled a little. "It sounds like you and Mitsuo-san don't get along, Takato-kun."

"On the contrary. He's like an annoying, overbearing older brother." He looked at the other boy with a strange expression, stopping by a coffee dispenser and fishing around in his pocket for change. "Why did you call me that?"

Jenrya blinked. "What?"

"Added that suffix to my name." Finding the change, he slipped it into the machine and made his selection. "Coffee?"

"No thanks, I don't drink it." Jenrya watched him silently for a minute before answering his question. "It's the polite thing to do," he said, shrugging lightly as he watched the other teenager take the cup out from the hole in the machine. "It doesn't sound like you've had many friends."

"Everyone here just calls me Matsuda," Takato replied, stirring sugar around in his drink before licking at the stick and tossing it into the bin beside the machine. He took a sip of his coffee, then made a face before shrugging to himself. "Only Onodera-san and Guilmon call me by my name." He turned his attention back to Jenrya. "So to answer your question, no, I haven't had many friends."

They continued down the corridor in silence, Takato drinking his beverage while Jenrya walked with his hands in the pockets of his jeans, mulling over everything that he'd been told. As they turned down another hallway and they passed some of the workers, he turned his head to look at him. "Tell me, Takato-kun...if I agree to becoming an agent of this place...of Hypnos...what happens?"

Takato paused, his lips to the rim of his cup before he lowered it, looking at the older boy out the corner of his eye. "Your family will be given a cover story," he said, swirling what was left of his drink around in the paper cup before downing it and tossing it casually into a nearby bin. "You'll be moved into the apartment building where we all live, your name erased from government files, every trace of your existence gone. To the outside world, you'll just be another nameless face in the crowd." He crossed his arms behind his back. "I never had to have it happen to me so I can't tell you all the details."

"I see..." Jenrya closed his eyes in contemplation, pursing his lips together. He had assumed as such. They finally reached two double doors that had the word LABORATORY sprawled across them and Takato pushed one of them open, gesturing for him to step through.

Taking hold of two masks that hung from a hook to the side, he tossed one of them to Jenrya. "Put this on," he said as he slipped his own on over his mouth. "You never know what kind of chemicals they're dealing with here."

"I'll keep that in mind." Looking around as he was lead through the lab, Jenrya really had to wonder what kind of operation was going on here. Takato lead him to a separate room, wherein the young agent pulled his mask off and let it sit around his neck.

"Status report," he ordered as he closed the door once Lee had set foot inside.

"Ah! Matsuda-san." One of the scientists brushed off his lab coat and pulled his goggles away from his eyes. "This is fascinating really. You rarely bring us back a specimen, so we've been running all kinds of tests on the little monster in order to gather data."

"I'd be careful what you say, Fuikawa-san." He gestured to his companion. "This is Terriermon's Tamer, Lee Jenrya."

Fuikawa seemed to blanch at the dark look Jenrya was giving him, giving a slightly nervous laugh. "W-well, I don't mean _all_ of our tests. Not the dangerous ones at least. Losing a fine specimen like him would be a waste."

"He's not a specimen," Jenrya growled, lip curling in disgust before his hand snapped out and took hold of the older man's shirt, yanking him down to his level. "Where. Is. Terriermon?"

"Moumentai, Jen." Both of the teenagers looked towards a bench in the far corner of the room where Terriermon sat, swinging his legs as he ate a cookie. One of the female scientists was removing the suction caps from his body and once she was done he hopped down, making his way over to his partner. "I'm fine. Sheesh. They just wanted to know a few things about the Digital World, so I told them." Terriermon licked his paw free of cookie crumbs before climbing onto his Tamer's shoulder.

Jenrya raised an eyebrow before he let go of Fuikawa's shirt. "As long as that was _all_ they did to you..."

"Well, I got a butt probe." Terriermon grimaced. "Not a pleasant experience, let me tell you. Now I know how dogs on those vet programs feel."

"You watch too much TV."

Watching the exchange between Tamer and partner, Takato lowered his head, placing his hands in his pockets before turning away from them as one of the scientists handed Jenrya his D-Arc. "If you're done, I'll show you the way out."

"Heeeeeey, it's Crabby McCrabbypants. Wasn't I beating your ass a few hours ago?"

"TERRIERMON!"

"Moumentai, Jen! Moumentai!"

When they got to the main entrance of the Hypnos building, Jenrya stepped out and turned towards him. "So...if I agree to what you told me...how do I find you?"

A slow smile curled its way across Takato's mouth before he tilted his head. "You'll know how. I imagine we'll be running into each other in when Digimon Realize in any case." He paused, about to let the door shut before he looked at Terriermon. "What does 'Moumentai' mean anyway?"

Terriermon giggled as Jenrya turned away from the building, waving goodbye with one of his ears. "It's Cantonese for 'take it easy'. And you REALLY need to take it easy, prissybritches. See you later~!"


End file.
